Love So Sweet
by SaturnLove21
Summary: Picks up right after Season Two of the live drama. After beating Kaede at her own game, what challenges await Domyouji and Makino? Will they finally be together - and stay that way without any hitches?
1. Will You Wait?

I haven't written a fanfic in years, so forgive me. I tried keeping them in character – toning down the bickering, and heightening up their sweetness, but keeping it all to a believable degree. I don't really expect anything from this. I just totally fell in love with Meteor Garden (four years ago), and very recently, the live drama Hana Yori Dango. So here it is. Enjoy!

Makino Tsukushi remembered feeling the same way exactly four years ago. The day came alive in her memory again, pouncing as quickly as the change in weather that still managed to catch her off guard. That one day stood as a middleground between summer sunshine and blustery days, and it marked an end to a time when she was truly happy. She laughed inwardly, back where she was alone with her thoughts of him and only him, thinking of how she could have felt so free in the presence of someone so overbearingly possessive.

She checked her phone again, its golden façade glinting off the fading sunlight, and realized it was the second time she'd done so in so many seconds. It struck her as surreal, that she, a self-proclaimed tough weed, could pine after a boy, an arrogant rich boy who'd teased her mercilessly about her poverty.

He wasn't all that bright, committing mistakes in both his Japanese and English left and right, and he didn't handle embarrassment all that well either, turning beetroot when someone corrected him. He was a boulder of violence, barking her name with no finesse. Then he would turn the tide of animosity around when he held her gently in the rare occasions that they hugged. He never ceased to infuriate her, as he constantly baited her on her weakness, pushing well-tried and tested buttons that he knew would surely irk her. But she missed him, and that was all she knew. She even missed the crap about Saturn that he repeated over and over again, each time with stubborn conviction…

"_Yo, I'm on top of the Domyouji Tower. You better show up, or I'll kill you," were his abrupt instructions. The muted colors of the multitude of clouds swiftly gave way to a faint pinkish orange glow as twilight settled snugly into place, and she'd cursed him into the wind as she ran towards the building from the dango shop. She remembered her forgotten jacket when she was already in the elevator, and by then it was too late to turn around. Thoughtfully fingering the necklace she wore, she knew without looking at her watch that she was beyond late, and that he would be angry. Sure enough, he was fuming._

"_You're late! We're going to miss it, and it's your fault."_

"_Well, I'm sorry if I only half ran myself to death here," she huffed, her breath coming in short spurts of fog._

"_Why didn't you take a cab, then?"_

"_It costs too much, and – "_

_Domyouji, once again, failed to show compassion with her lower middle-class lifestyle. "Never mind! You poor people are impossible – so inefficient," he glared at her with steel in his eyes. "Now come."_

"_Why did you call me here, anyway?" Makino jutted her jaw obstinately. It was too cold to hurry anywhere._

"_Come now, ask questions later," he said, tugging her hand._

"_I don't see what's so important," she grumbled, and that was when she noticed an expensive-looking telescope perched atop a wooden platform. With a silver chrome finish and numerous add-ons that looked complicated, it certainly was impressive. Domyouji growled, all patience lost, and pushed her face to meet the eyepiece of the telescope._

"_Is it there? Can you see it?"_

_Makino couldn't figure out what it was she was supposed to be seeing, until a luminous spherical object revealed itself in a glimmer of milky ivory. Iridescent rings encompassed the sphere, in hypnotizing patterns that seemed to end nowhere. She fell quiet in awe of the sight, while Domyouji anxiously shoved her aside._

"_What? Let me see!"_

"_That is really… That is beautiful," she breathed. He turned to her, smugness radiating from his every feature._

"_I told you so! That, my awesome girl, is our homeplanet."_

_Makino snapped from the trance the ethereal vista cast on her. He continued excitedly, "That's Saturn, and we're both from there. Tonight is the second clearest night this year, so we were guaranteed a spectacular view. I do believe I've outdone even myself."_

_She was silent. "Are you really that astounded? You really are pitiful, if this is all it takes to overwhelm you. Don't you get it? We share the same fate. The telescope said so," he added defensively, taking her silence for skepticism._

"_Idiot! You mean horoscope!" Makino laughed, but not unkindly. "I already knew that. I don't need this –" she made a sweeping gesture toward the sky " – to know where I belong. But thank you," she smiled shyly, and in an uncharacteristic show of affection, kissed him lightly on the cheek._

_Domyouji hugged her hard, and she shivered from both the moment and the cold. _

"_Are you stupid? Why don't you have your jacket?" He shrugged easily out of his overcoat, and palced it around her shoulders. Makino fidgeted slightly before speaking again._

"_Why did you say tonight's the second clearest night? It's not like you to settle for second-best, but I'm not complaining. This is beautiful enough."_

_An odd look came across his face. "The clearest night will be in September, see, and we won't be able to watch for it then."_

"_Huh? Why not?"_

_He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well, most of my business associates are already impressed in dealing with me – I mean, who wouldn't be? I _am_ the great Domyouji – but I believe that even I could exceed my own greatness if I were to attain a degree in business administration."_

"_So what are you saying?" _

_He breathed deeply, before shifting his position so his back was turned to her. "I'm saying I'll be leaving at the end of August, to attend Harvard for four years. It was my father's idea. He came to me a few days ago, and announced his wishes for me to get a degree before entering a life of holy moly."_

"_Holy moly?"_

"_Our wedding, stupid!"_

"_You're the one who's stupid! It's holy matrimony, idiot!"_

"_That's what I said!" he looked livid for a while before calming down considerably, seeming to remember his purpose. "So I hav eto go. I'll be in Boston this time… not New York."_

_Makino shuddered unconsciously, the bad memories of New York hovering above them in the dark. Domyouji frowned, and rubbed her arms. "You'll catch your death, Makino, I swear –"_

"_Is he forcing you to go? Your father?" her voice was so quiet he almost didn't hear her._

"_No, it's nothing like that. My father has never spoken to me much, and I see him even less. This is the one thing he has ever asked of me. I have to do this for him. For me." He laughed quietly, ruffling his curls with a casual flick of his hand. "Don't worry. I'll come back even greater as a man."_

_Makino stiffened. He had the said the exact same words before leaving for New York. And New York had proved so hurtful to them both. "Okay, I understand," she smiled despite herself. "I won't make this hard for you."_

_He looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"_

_She laughed, almost harshly. "Just go, Domyouji. Let's end this properly."_

_He looked truly concerned now, and his childlike stare broke her heart. He made to move near her, but she shrank back in warning. _

"_Don't. If you come near me, I wouldn't be able to leave you," she said, smiling bravely. _

"_Leave? Why would you want to leave?"_

"_I don't want New York to happen again. I couldn't bear it if it did. So let's make a clean break, and finish this before I – before someone gets hurt," Makino spoke as if she was dealing with a particularly difficult customer at the dango shop._

_Domyouji closed the distance between them in two strides. "You can be such a dummy sometimes, you know that? New York was… complicated, you know that. Because of Ken. But I will never let anything or anyone come between us again, understand? You better get that through your head, 'cause I know it takes you a long time to get used to things. So you better get used to this: you _are_ the girl for me, and I _will_ come back for you. That is a promise."_

_She looked at him, hopeful and hesitant. _

"_Believe in me, and what I say, and if you can't, maybe this will help you believe," he said dramatically, patting his front pocket in search of something. "Huh? Where'd it go? Oh, yeah, excuse me," he muttered embarrassedly, reaching over to take something from the coat that hung around Makino. His hand emerged from the pocket with a dark blue velvet box._

"_I know my proposal was already world-class, but I never did get to give you a ring, so…" Domyouji knelt slowly, taking her hands in one of his. "Four years will be long, but I am willing to wait." He paused, holding her gaze without touch for the longest moment. Then he pulled open the top of box to reveal a simple silver band with a princess-cut rock encased by golden claws in the center. "It really is up to you, and I trust you to decide, because you are the girl I approve of. It won't be easy. Four years seems like forever, and of course, you'll miss me terribly. But I will wait… Will you?"_

_Makino looked up to meet her fate headlong in the eye. "Of course I'll wait. I'm in love with you, remember?"_

_His smile rivaled only her own. "Great answer," said Domyouji, before slipping his promise onto her waiting finger._


	2. Summer Loving

Thank you to my one reviewer! You know who you are. Your thoughts mean a lot to me.  I'm sorry if long narratives are boring, but I found it better to sum up the summer this way. Enjoy!

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The rest of the summer passed by in a blur that was barely there, of odd jobs (for Makino) and English classes (for Domyouji). They agreed to see it each other three times a week, whether it was with Akira, Soujiroh and Rui or just the two of them. Mostly, they stayed in the city and often watched movies. From these dates, Makino smoked out that she had a passion for films, something she had never had the luxury of discovering for herself. Domyouji always insisted on paying, but Makino's pride won her a compromise of almost equal footing with Domyouji financing two-thirds of their weekly trysts, and she shelling out cash for the remaining date.

They alternated between the Cineplex and Makino's apartment, sometimes preferring the cozy privacy her apartment provided rather than the large crowds that thronged the theatres. These home movie nights usually included the two teaming up to pen a reply to Makino's parents' letters, to appease her mother's worries of her living on her own, and to react to her father's latest attempt to master the sea.

They had several in-depth discussions regarding their plans for the future, consisting mostly of wishful thinking and extravagant dreams. Some of these musings scoped Makino's goal of setting up a law firm in Tokyo, which Domyouji poked fun at heartily, and Domyouji's grand scheme of disowning his mother and learning to live as a part of Japan's working class through a process of osmosis and endurance. More often than not, the sparring of the two would nearly get physical when they each shot down the other relentlessly on his or her respective plans, until Makino would refuse to talk to him any longer, unable to take such a beating to her self-esteem in stride.

They went over Domyouji's applications and credentials, Makino patiently pointing out grammatical errors, while he corrected them, red-faced and edgy. Their projected thrice-a-week plan hardly played out accordingly as Domyouji constantly stormed in the dango shop or the local convenience store she worked in part-time, demanding that she make time for him lest he up and left her for a woman less impervious to his charms, as he put it. She'd barely bat an eyelash and resume stacking boxes or unloading crates, knowing full well she would find him taking a table and ordering an obscene amount of sweets she knew he had no plans of eating.

On these inevitable, unplanned visits, he would walk her back to her apartment, and they would argue and tease each other all the way home, so that what was normally a twenty-minute walk for Makino would take them almost an hour and a half. Domyouji had taken to having his chauffeur park the car at Makino's apartment, every time loaded with different parcels full of myriad things. He gave her food and clothes (estimating her size and usually getting it right), furniture and books. One time, he presented to her an ostentatious lava lamp that she initially rejected, giving the standard excuse of not being able to accept something so costly. She had finally accepted on pain of bodily harm from the giver himself. More regularly, he brought over groceries that he promised would refine her taste, as the exotic foods suited his.

And so Makino got her first taste of caviar, truffles, liver pâté and lamb chops with mint jelly. She barely concealed her delight at having a chance to eat such succulent foods, the flavor jolting into her mouth with zest. Domyouji found her way of enjoying her food to be endearing, but he never told her so, choosing instead to berate her for "embarrassing herself by taking satisfaction in the food he had been eating since birth."

In hindsight, it was the first few months that posed a problem for them both. They found freedom staring them open-faced with no obstacles to hinder them from being together, and the thought was disconcerting. Domyouji and Makino each secretly worried that they would soon be bored with the sudden absence of anything challenging. At first, they were terribly polite to each other, moving stiffly. But with the passing of days faded their self-consciousness, and there soon stemmed a more profound perception as to how they each worked. Domyouji learned of Makino's inability to express her feelings through a painstaking process that spanned many fights resulting from his frustration. She covered up more delicate feelings by insulting him frequently, he observed, and he contented himself by mentally replacing her lashing insults with affectionate names. Of course, Makino had no idea why he would grin stupidly each time she called him an idiot, thinking he was even dumber than she thought.

But Domyouji's stabs at being easier to be with were not one-sided. Makino struggled to adjust in the way she reacted when Domyouji would say something sweet, unpredictably and always with the worst timing. She knew he didn't mean to make her feel uncomfortable and even started looking forward to the sparse instances when Domyouji would carefully, almost shyly reveal his more sensitive side.

Makino remembered how he'd stuttered and stumbled that night they stood on top of the Domyouji Tower, hours after her life had been turned upside down by Domyouji Kaede's doing. Faced with her father's dismissal from work and the closing down of the dango shop, she had felt lost and powerless against such a powerful enemy. Makino hadn't known what she had wanted from to hear from Domyouji – she just knew she had to see him.

"Let's get married!" he'd suggested, the spontaneity of his offer slicing through the chill.

"Huh?!" Makino spluttered.

"What? It's a nice idol," Domyouji beamed, clearly impressed with himself.

"Nice idol?"

"Nice i – I love you," he said uncertainly in English.

_Oh_,_smooth_, she'd thought, appreciating the quick save he'd come up with in the face of his blunder. It was times like those when she fully realized the impact he hade made in her life, invading her most quiet thoughts, where she was most attuned with her world. Domyouji had taken her life by storm, forcefully imposing his presence, aggravating an irate Makino with his violent, ill-tempered manner. But he had shown her true caring and the sincerest efforts to change that she had ever seen anyone exert.

Domyouji almost always went for grand gestures, with no need for further proof than his marriage proposal in front of thousands of people. But Makino found she grew even fonder of him when he did ordinary things in an ordinary way – "the Domyouji way", he called it. They had some sort of parting ritual; Makino would say, "Call me when you miss me," and almost instantly, her phone would vibrate and ring shrilly, with the name "Almighty ME" flashing cheerfully on the screen.

He was thoughtful, sweetly so, helping her out with her Technology and Home Economics class summer project by making cottage cheese. Makino had saved enough to buy materials to make one batch, and so purchased four cartons of milk and a bottle of vinegar. Domyouji watched over the simmering vat of low-fat milk, while she meticulously pored over the recipe to ensure the cheese's quality. He had gamely agreed to sample the cheese, pronouncing it to be sour and was it supposed to taste that way? She'd checked the milk boxes and her eyes had nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw the expiry date, which had been two days before. Domyouji then rebuked her for being unaware of such important things, but upon seeing her downcast face, stopped in mid-lecture to stuff his mouth with the cheese in between apologies and testimonials of how delicious it was. Makino had burst out laughing at how ridiculous he looked, and more relieved than indignant, Domyouji declared cheese-making to be beneath them, and took her out for ice cream. The next day, two gleaming jars of home-styled cottage cheese sat on the floor outside her apartment, with flowers and a note that expressed Domyouji's sincerest condolences.

She didn't have the heart to correct him, and simply reveled in the sweetness of the thought. She placed the flowers that signified death in a cheerful yellow vase. He loved her, that much was obvious, and Makino found herself wondering how four years would pass with so much distance between them. Domyouji must've brooded over their impending separation too, because weeks before leaving, he sat her down and talked about his four-year plan that involved a color-coded daily, weekly, monthly and yearly schedule of pre-meditated phone calls and visits. She had been unable to follow his complicated charts, but not for lack of trying – she didn't want all the trouble he had gone through to go to waste; the poor boy had eagerly outlined how he and Makino would "find a way around the massive time difference and escape." In frustration, he had thrown the charts, and given her an ultimatum with such an intensity that proved to Makino that he was just as terrified as she was about growing apart.

Rui told her when he visited her at the dango shop that Domyouji had once again entrusted her care to him. As the departure day drew nearer, an unsettling fear nestled in her stomach, an unpleasant reminder of the last time he'd gone to America to study. She dreamt of how he'd stared at her so coldly standing on that New York sidewalk before getting into his car and driving away. Makino tried to dispel her fears, but it was all too familiar, this scene of which she was unwillingly a part.

She tried to assuage her anxiety by telling herself that this time around, everything was carefully thought out and well-planned, and the three month-heads up made all the difference. When she allayed her thoughts to Yuki, her friend had not known what to say. Yuki had tried to view the situation objectively, strictly from an outsider's vantage point, and she'd concede to having reached no decision. Yuki had been the one to pick up what was left of Makino when Domyouji stopped calling her from New York. She had also been the one to watch Domyouji race after Makino in the snowstorm, regardless of whether he remembered her or not. This time, Yuki reasoned, Makino had a choice if she wanted to tough it out. She told Makino to prepare for the worst but to hope for the best.

The rest of the summer flew by, hazy with hot days spent under the sun with F4 who were trying to spend as much time as they could with Domyouji before he left. Makino flushed with mild self-loathing when she realized how she'd thought only of herself, forgetting that Akira, Soujiroh and Rui too would be left behind. She wondered how the boys must have felt when it was Hanazawa Rui who left for France to go after Shizuka. She tried imagining Yuki leaving to get a rough idea, and likened the feeling to the loss of a limb, or for the F4, a brother.

The full gravity of her realization hit her one day when they were lounging in Akira's house. The boys were splayed all over the armchairs and sofas. Makino, finding herself once more amidst lush cloths and finely built furniture, sat up straight. She'd apologized profusely and made an excuse to leave, when not only Domyouji, but surprisingly the rest of the boys objected rather noisily, a bit tipsy from afternoon servings of sake.

"Don't go, Makino," moaned Akira. He giggled, sounding so much like his twin sisters, it was scary. He stood and swayed unsteadily on his feet before speaking again. "Tsukasa will be grumpy if you go. He'll be no fun at all."

Domyouji snorted, unable to give a more impassioned reaction. Soujiroh staggered to Akira's side, spilling sake along the way. "Stay, Makino! Ever since you've been around, Tsukasa's been such a good little boy.

Domyouji tried to stand, but flopped back down on the floor. "Shut up – "

"It's true! You've lowered your weekly quote for beating up someone from nine to almost nothing!"

Akira nodded sagely. "Things _are_ getting boring. Hey, Rui, maybe you should kiss Makino or something. Then we'll finally get some action –"

He was cut off as a fist missed his jaw by mere inches. Domyouji had aimed drunkenly, breathing heavily with unfocused eyes. "Shut up, Akira! And Rui, don't get any ideas about Makino."

Rui lifted his head blearily, amused. "Of course not, Tsukasa. Makino is – "

"- sitting right here," interjected a red-faced Makino. She stood up and announced, "Well, it seems I'm causing trouble just by being here, so I'll be leaving now."

Domyouji nearly tripped over his feet in his hurry to get to her. "Don't be stupid, Makino. I – "

A quiet voice cut through his slurred protests. "He's right. Don't go." Rui looked her straight in the eye. "What Soujiroh, Akira and I are saying is – underneath all that crap – you and Tsukasa are running out of time."

The lighthearted feel of their spirited teasing evaporated instantaneously.

"Hanazawa Rui," she began but Akira interrupted gently.

"He's right, Makino. We – us, F4 – we'll be able to visit him when we go on business trips. But you'll hardly let us pay for your ticket, right? And Tsukasa's mom probably worked out an schedule where it'll be next to impossible for you two to see each other."

"Mimasaka-san, I – "

"Surely, you don't think she's agreed to be complacent about your engagement? Knowing her, she'll try to prolong the time before you actually get married so she can oppose it in subtler ways. And don't feel as if you're hoarding him selfishly to yourself. We understand," broke in Soujiroh. He grinned wickedly. "Besides, we're sick of Tsukasa. And speaking of time running out, have you and Tsukasa… you know?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Makino felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "No! Of course I'd never – not with that – Nishikado-san, I'm – " she spluttered, the implications burning mental images in her mind's eye.

Domyouji had risen to his feet, successfully this time. "Everybody, shut the hell up! Makino and I – well – she's not that kind of girl!" He stumbled to her side, but she recoiled. Immediately, his indignant expression softened. "Makino, I – you know, I'd wait for you. Well, by wait, I don't mean the four years. No, wait! I'll wait the four years but I meant I'd also wait for… you know!" he looked agitated. "What I mean is… I would never… force myself on you."

Akira and Soujiroh were sniggering with such ardor that it was hard to concentrate on Domyouji. His eyes were wide, desperate for Makino to believe him.

"Not meaning to pry, but have you two talked about Tsukasa leaving?" Rui asked, and Domyouji nodded. "I mean, did you seriously talk about it?"

"What are you saying, Rui, eh?!"

Soujiroh yawned. "Now, now, Tsukasa. He's just trying to help."

Cautiously, Rui asked again. "It's just… I think it best if you prepare now you're given the chance. I'm sure none of us want New York to happen again."

The way he had included the F4 in disliking New York warmed Makino's heart; underneath the playboy exteriors of the boys, they were truly compassionate about their friends' lives. She glanced at Domyouji, before averting her gaze to the floor. He felt her apprehension, however guardedly she tried to hide it. Slowly, Domyouji took one of her hands in his.

"We've talked about it, and I know she's the girl for me," he said confidently.

"But what if I'm not?" It came out half-unexpectedly, even to herself, insecurity lining every word, with just the slightest notion of bitterness.

"What a dumb thing to say! Of course you are!" he practically shouted. Akira and Soujiroh shared a sidelong wince while Rui bowed his head.

Makino inhaled deeply and put on a bright smile that deceived no one. "Say four years pass by and you _don't_ feel the same way about me anymore – "

"Impossible." Domyouji barked automatically. Makino pulled her hand free from his grasp and held it up.

"Let's just say. Four years pass, and either one of us loses his or her feelings for the other. What happens then? Where does that leave us?"

An awful, splitting silence stretched above them, seemingly resolute. She continued, still smiling tightly. "Don't get me wrong, Domyouji, I don't want that ever to happen. But anything is possible and someone's got to be practical," she said, hating herself and the appalling words that tumbled freely from her mouth. "We have to be ready. _Just in case_."

Domyouji opened his mouth a few times, only to close it again. A deep frown furrowed his eyebrows, naturally rejecting the thought of a life without Makino. The second stretched into minutes of quietude to tense that the somber mood penetrated each person present. Rui lay humming to himself with his eyes closed, his fingers twisting to press notes on an invisible violin. Akira stared a hole into the wall behind Makino, drumming his foot repeatedly on to the leg of the armchair. It was only Soujiroh who remained untouched by the pressing silence, instantly brightening when his cell phone rang, making Makino jump. He excused himself hastily, not bothering to be out of earshot before adopting a silky tone that suggested the caller was an attractive female.

"Makino?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember what I said after you returned the necklace to me?" At her quizzical nod, Domyouji continued. "I told you I wanted no one else but you. I don't even know why, because you are quite ugly and very, very poor. But – " he held up a hand as she protested, "But I can't remember life before I met you. I feel like an insomniac!" Domyouji said in a pained voice, pounding a heavy fist on the coffee table.

"Amnesiac," whispered Akira loudly.

"Who asked you anyway, punk?! Hey, Rui, give us some privacy, huh?"

At the sight of their retreating backs, Makino stood angrily. "You don't have to be so rude. They can stay."

"What, and have them laugh at me while I try to have a serious talk with my girlfriend?" he retorted.

They glared insolently at each other for a few taut moments before Makino spoke. "You know, I really can't stand you sometimes."

"Well, you're here with me now, so shut up," said Domyouji, rubbing his eyes. It struck Makino how tired he looked, as she took in the unusual slump of his shoulders and the stiff line into which his mouth was drawn.

Rui and Akira's footfalls dissolved into nothing, and she realized she owed it to Domyouji, who was really trying to be agreeable. "All right," Makino said, her gaze softening. "Let's do this. What were you saying?"

He had obviously been preparing for a verbal dispute, because he looked taken aback at her unexpected bout of kindness. "What was I – " Domyouji stammered, suddenly conscious of the gaping quiet that slapped them from all sides. "Well. That's it, really. What I'm saying is, it's not that I can't live without you. It's just that I don't even want to try."

He turned redder still, not knowing where to look. Finally, he settled for staring hard at the marble floor.

Makino forced a casual laugh, abruptly aware of the emotions churning in her stomach, threatening to overflow in a mess of words that made no sense. "You're saying that now, but I swear I'll never forgive you if four years from now, I'm left with only your empty words and this," she showed her left hand, where the ring caught the dimming sunlight from the verandah doors.

"Never," Domyouji promised simply, walking to where she stood. "You'll always have me."

"Mhmm," she made a disbelieving little noise, punching him lightly on the arm. "Who'd have thought someone so stupid could have such a way with words?" But he was already pulling her close.

"Idiot," he murmured into her hair, "Who'd have thought someone so unattractive could be so lucky to have me?"

"Oh, don't be so full of it," Makino scoffed, but it was half-hearted as she failed to hide her growing smile. Domyouji only laughed before tightening his hold on her.


	3. Nothing But Lines

Thank you, NourGwenn, lhotshot83, Lalilaloli, angelofgig and dookie565! Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while – see, prom happened and we're approaching our final weeks as high school juniors, so yes, I have been pressed for time. Enjoy!

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There were there three weeks to go, two more and finally they counted only one. Time elapsed in a horrendous montage of summer rapidly losing its luster as the fall started to usher itself in. The season that had once held a glorious promise of endless days to laze away now seemed harshly ephemeral. It was also one of the hottest days ever, the weather swelling well past what was considered lukewarm. So with the choicest timing as always, Domyouji relented to what Makino had been bugging him to do for weeks – pack. 

It was Wednesday, and Makino was currently fanning herself with a crumpled page of Domyouji's immediate itinerary upon arriving in Boston, which was one of many copies. A light sheen of perspiration gleamed on her forehead, and after the first couple of hours wherein she tried valiantly to sweat it out, she had yanked her hair violently into a messy ponytail. It wasn't only the damps strands of hair that clung to her neck that irked her to no end; Domyouji was being particularly difficult about the clothes going into his two suitcases. He rejected almost every article of clothing she held up, and rolled his eyes so much that Makino was fighting the urge to pull him by the curls and shake him into complacency.

"Are you serious?" he raised an eyebrow, topping off the haughty appearance he had assumed, arms and legs crossed tightly. Makino dropped the light blue long-sleeved shirt she was holding up to glare at him.

"What? It doesn't suit me," Domyouji said, heaving an impatient sigh.

Makino just about stamped her foot. "What's wrong with you? Why can't you just choose something?"

He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. "Because you have absolutely no taste."

On any other day, she would've stormed out angrily and so she was fully prepared to do so, had this day not marked the five-day countdown to his departure. Makino swallowed hard, biting back her retort and the pride that went along with it. "Listen, Domyouji. You can criticize me all you want – I'm used to your pigheaded ways," she said. "But in America, you'll be dealing with different people who might not appreciate your constant nitpicking."

He eyed her balefully. Makino made a show of sighing and knelt on the floor to fold the discarded clothes. "It's for your own good, you know."

To her surprise, Domyouji lowered himself beside her. Even on the floor, his form was graceful with a polished finish that looked as if it came as naturally as breathing to him. His slender fingers tugged the light blue polo from her grasp. He contemplated the shirt for a while before holding it up against his neck.

"How do I look?" Domyouji seemed to have trouble forcing the words out.

"Not bad," Makino shrugged, only letting her gaze rest on him for a second.

"Not bad?!" He caught her smirking. "Why you –"

The rest of his words were smothered none too gently in a rush of gray material that covered his entire face. Before any rational thought could form in his head, two hands lifted the rough material above his eyes. Makino was beaming. "You look handsome."

Domyouji tore the offending material from where it rested on his head. "What the –"

It was a gray beanie that instantly punctured his memory, a long-neglected and well-forgotten remembrance of a night spent in febrile bliss. Well, bliss on his part anyway.

"You should definitely pack that," Makino looked at him meaningfully.

"I don't think I'll take it with me," said Domyouji, hiding a smile. "It's just a waste of space."

She tried not to feel disappointed that he had shot it down in a heartbeat, but it was hard not to. It stung her that he did not appreciate the meaning the beanie held for them both.

"Hey, dummy, do you think I'm stupid or something?" His taunting voice jarred her thoughts, and Makino was tempted to say yes, that was exactly how she thought of him. "Of course I'll pack this – it's my lucky cap, you know? Good times, good times." Domyouji chuckled.

_You don't realize how much it means to me when you say that you remember_, Makino thought, wistful and pleasantly contented. She would never admit that to him out loud, though, and subsequently snatched the beanie away from him. "You idiot, how can this be lucky? If you don't remember, you had me worried sick all night while you ran a fever."

Domyouji grinned smugly. "Say what you will, but I got lucky that night."

She turned bright red and covered his mouth with her hand. "Shh! Don't let anyone hear you say that!"

"Why not?" He mumbled indignantly against her palm.

"It sounds… off, that's why not. You're using the expression wrongly."

He stared at her. "… Okay, Makino. Anyway, what are you talking about? That was a great night! One of the best ever," he said, a dreamy look glazing his eyes momentarily.

"If you consider having to spend the night with you a good time, sure, it was fantastic," said Makino, wincing at the memory. Domyouji was about to refute the insult made on his company when Makino's phone rang. Almost childishly, she stuck her tongue out at him before turning away to answer. Domyouji put on the beanie – never mind that it was sweltering hot – imagining the smile that would undoubtedly curve Makino's mouth when she saw him wearing it.

" – be there as soon as I can. All right, I'll catch the earliest train out." She snapped her phone shut. "Domyouji, I – "

"What is it?" He was all business, the beanie forgotten.

"That was my mother. She said my father's been sick for a week now," Makino spoke in strained tones. "She asked me to come and stay a few days to help take care of him. I'm sorry," she said regretfully.

"No, don't be. You should go," he nodded with an understanding he did not possess until after the staged suicide of Ken. It had marred him horribly, and had forced him to grow up – at a price that may have been too terrible to pay. "We have five days. We can make it."

Makino blinked hard – when he put it that way, the brevity of their remaining time together mixed with worry for her father balled into a hard knot in her throat. Domyouji smoothed her hair back with fluid strokes, a small smile lifting his lip in one corner. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. Stupid girl," he added fondly. "Come on, I'll take you to the station."

She nodded without saying anything, the surge of love she felt for him blocking all the things she wanted to say.

* * *

Two days later, it was a slow, lazy Friday, Makino realized she was very much mistaken in thinking that having so much time to herself was a good thing. She was so bored it was ridiculous, seeing as her only duties were to keep near her father in case he needed help. When she had arrived, pale and overwrought in a tumult of emotions after a hasty goodbye with Domyouji and the long, uncomfortable train ride – she had gotten the cheapest fare – her mother had embraced her hard, while Susumu looked on wearily. 

Her father constantly asked for beer and someone to fluff his pillows. That first night, Makino slept for a grand total of two and a half hours. Her father's fever somewhat subsided early in the morning, spiking again in the afternoon. After another fitful night, he was recuperating, wan and thinner than before. That was how Makino came to be sitting idly by, while Susumu helped their mother with the fishing down by the docks.

She traced the heavy scent of saltwater in the humid air and sighed as a gnawing sensation clawed at her patience. The night before, her mother had asked when she planned to leave, knowing Domyouji's flight was slated for an early Monday morning departure.

Makino bit her lip as she watched her father's deep, even breathing and thought of how Monday crept stealthily upon them so quickly, it was almost unfair. The idea that Domyouji was to be wrenched from her side for so long a time in a few days refused to lodge itself into her mind firmly, something for which she was thankful. She knew that once the enormity of the situation registered, the ball of panic in her stomach would metastasize and explode. Makino was torn between her filial instincts to be a good daughter and wanting to go to Domyouji.

Once again, his smile fluttered into her wandering mind, and she felt the fatigue of the past few days catch up with her. She was simply too tired to think about anything any longer, and closed her eyes, just for a few seconds…

" – so glad you're here – "

" – keep quiet, you'll wake her up – "

Makino opened one eye slightly. Blurry silhouettes flitted in and out of her vision: her family and a very familiar-looking curly head. The faint tang of roses tickled her nose, and she lay quietly for a while, trying to make sense while the voices continued to carry a casual conversation, sounding far-away.

"You look good, little bro," said a deep voice with quiet pride. "Seaside living fits you."

"Thanks, big bro," Susumu's voice cracked, caught within the opposing reaches of childhood and puberty. "And thanks for the computer, this will help me a lot when I enter high school in the fall."

Their chatter darted alternating bouts wherein she fleeted between sleep and consciousness, still too tired to try and comprehend. Scuffling footsteps indicated people moving around her, and many times a sharp "Shh!" jolted her from sleep. Each time she attempted to wake, the glow of the afternoon darkened in small doses, and when she at last decided to open her eyes, it was undoubtedly night.

"Makino?"

She blinked hard into the white fluorescent light, before Domyouji's face came into focus. He had a gentle hand on her back, and supported her into a sitting position. She opened her eyes fully and drank in the most welcome sight of Domyouji, in a black blazer and a red tie over a white polo. Makino stretched to shake the last vestiges of sleep from her limbs.

"You're awake! Finally," he smirked. "I don't think my ears could stand any more snoring."

She hit him lightly on the arm, but her heart pounded hard. "Shut up!" Her eyes fell on the bouquet of roses he had in one hand, and the big basket of fruits and canned goods on the floor beside him. "What are you doing here?" said Makino, suddenly feeling shy.

Domyouji grinned smugly, sensing her bashfulness. "Oh, I just came by to give your family some food," he trailed off, before reddening, remembering his real purpose. "And to – uh – I came to borrow you," he said sheepishly.

"Hmm, you're being sweet, huh," Makino smiled approvingly. "But Papa's still –"

"I'm well enough, Tsukushi," her father's weak voice interrupted. "Go ahead with Domyouji, we'll be fine."

She started to protest, but only half-heartedly. Her mother pushed them to the door, clucking. "Tsukushi, you've done more than enough for your father; now, go. And Domyouji, please take care of our Tsukushi."

The little brown door to her family's apartment shut behind them, leaving them to the witness of a dark cerulean sky that tittered with the life of a million stars, both young and old, sweeping into infinity. It was cold, and they realized the only thing separating them was air.

"So why did you really come?" said Makino, trying to make conversation to fight the awkwardness that hung heavily over them.

"I called you on your cellphone but you weren't answering," said Domyouji, shrugging.

"Oh," she cleared her throat, and for lack of something to do, checked her golden phone. _7 missed calls_, it read, and _4 new messages_. She opened the first one. _Makino, when are you coming home?_

Home. The word tugged at her heartstrings. Makino knew that although she would never admit it to him, Domyouji would always feel like home and she would always find her way back to him. That was how and where he stood in her life now, she mused silently.

"I missed you," Domyouji's voice broke in. "I also came because I missed you, okay?" He looked so sullen, like he was admitting to a crime instead of to missing his girlfriend. He reminded Makino of a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Stupid, you should've just said that in the first place. Look at you, playing hard to get," Makino laughed at the thought. All around them, the crickets' songs played nonstop, and the horizon was a midnight cobalt expanse. They were the only two figures against the quarter moon that peeped through the clouds.

Domyouji had his hand in his hair, stopped in mid-ruffle. "I wasn't playing hard to get! I was just – well, forget it, we're going back to the city now. Come on," he grabbed for her hand.

"Why are you in such a hurry, anyway?"

"Because I have our weekend all planned out for us, and if we don't get going, we'll be behind schedule. So for once in your life, try to keep up with things," he said meanly, not bothering to look at her.

Makino stuck her tongue out at his back just when he turned on his heel to face her. He looked so indignant that she burst out laughing. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

For a moment that seemed to run the length of a day, Domyouji's face struggled into different expressions, fighting an internal battle. Makino was caught way off guard when he pulled her roughly to him. They stayed that way, neither one talking, unafraid of the raw feelings that slept beneath the surface.

"You idiot," Makino smiled into his shoulder, surprised to find wetness in her eyes. He, too, tried to compose himself before pulling away, and it was a while before he spoke.

"Sorry," he said in a thick voice. "It's just.. three days. Even less," Domyouji gestured wordlessly with his hands. She couldn't call it desperation, but she knew what he felt was something bordering on that. And what he felt mirrored her own sentiments.

"I know," she said, trying to saturate her voice with as much understanding as she could, but her mind was screaming with panic. Three more days and then four years of nothing. It seemed surreal, but to dwell on that would just cost them precious time together. Then, to lighten the mood, Makino asked in a teasing voice, "So, what was your plan again?"

"My plan?" Domyouji paused before a glint sparked in his eye. "Let's capture how we feel right now and keep it forever."

Makino nearly doubled over in laughter. "And just _where_ did you get that line from?"

He had the grace to look properly embarrassed that his flirting had not elicited the desired reaction. "Shut up! Shut – oh, never mind! Let's get going. Oh, by the way, these are for you," Domyouji announced with as much dignity as he could muster in the face of his plan backfiring on him, thrusting out the bouquet of roses, his timing a little off-key, as always.

She took the flowers, and held them to her face, inhaling deeply. It was a pleasant feeling to be breathing in a sweet, floral scent in the midst of the evening chill. "Hmm, and why am I receiving flowers?" Makino peered at him over the roses suspiciously.

"Well, uh, I got you flowers… just because it's a Friday," Domyouji finished lamely.

Her laughter echoed into the night, soft peals of pure delight. "Nice try, Casanova, but forget it. You are such a nut." She shook her head in amazement. "Come on."

Retreating from the porch where they stood, the fluorescent lamp's dirty luster faded as the two walked to the secret warmth of the car that was waiting for them, holding hands and lightly bickering all the way.


End file.
